Assumptions and Secrets
by imagica8
Summary: When Wilson receives an early morning phone call from House, he has no idea that his words will add to a chain of events which has already been set in motion, unbeknownst to either of them. Explores a soft side of the gruff Dr. House. My first story ever on fanfiction, so please review!


Dr James Wilson woke up very early one morning to the shrill ring of the phone. It was still snowing outside and he nearly recoiled from the cold of the receiver.

"Hello."

"Hey. Are you awake?"

"Now I am." Wilson gave an annoyed sigh. "What do you want, House?"

"Nothing. Couldn't sleep."

"Seriously, House, what is it? Are you in pain? Are you out of Vicodin? You're just going to have to wait until work in that case. Take a couple ibuprofen and get back to bed."

"Wow, someone's grumpy."

"People usually are when they're woken up in the middle of the night."

"It isn't midnight, sleeping beauty; it's very nearly five."

"Thanks for enlightening me, House," groaned Wilson, his voice dripping with sarcasm, "but as I still have at least 2 hours left till I usually wake, just do both of us a favor and put down the phone. I'll prescribe for you later today, all right?"

There was a discernible pause. "The only thing that can possibly be wrong with Gregory House is the ache in his bum leg, isn't it?" said House.

That statement made Wilson suddenly more alert and slightly concerned. "House. What's wrong?"

"Leg hurts. Nothing unusual."

" _House_."

"Yes. It's hurting, it always does. And I am _not_ out of Vicodin. Going to hang up now. See you at work."

The line was dead before Wilson could utter another syllable. He sat frozen for a few seconds, and before he could literally start to, he shrugged and slid under the sheets.

-  
"So what was really the matter with you last night?" pressed Wilson for the umpteenth time as he walked with House toward the cafeteria.

"Wilson, give it a rest. _My leg hurt_."

"But you said you couldn't sleep."

"Oh my, now why would that be?" House chided, looking like he was trying to concentrate. "My. Leg. Hurt."

Wilson rolled his eyes. "Then why the big words about leg pain being the only thing that can be wrong with you?"

House leaned over and snatched Wilson's fries. He slowly nibbled on one. "You clearly think so."

"Wha- I do not!" exclaimed Wilson.

"It wasn't a question."

Wilson threw up his hands.

"Fine, let's leave that for a minute, House, ok? Just tell me what was up with you last night. Why did you call?"

"I just wanted to hear your voice."

"Come on, House! I really want to know- I want to be able to help."

House pushed the fries away and stood up. "I don't know how to tell you this, Wilson….but MY LEG HURT!"

House began to hobble away, but Wilson quickly caught up with him and blocked his path.

"House, I am sorry for suggesting that your leg might be hurting and also that you might have run out of Vicodin, I should just have asked you. Which I have now been doing for half a day. Will you just please skip the antics for a moment and answer honestly? Please?"

House considered Wilson for a long moment and sighed.

"My leg hurt, Jimmy. That's the beginning and the end. There's nothing more to it. My leg hurt which was why I couldn't sleep and thus called you. That's just it. And my leg's better now, thanks for asking. So stop beating yourself up about it and go attend to dying bald kids."

House strode away, leaving Wilson gaping in the corridor.

-  
Cameron dropped her head on the glass table in House's conference room in frustration. Nothing fit the symptoms of their latest patient. Even House hadn't been able to come up with anything yet. She suddenly sat up.

"It could be arthritis," she said slowly.

"In a 12 year old?" House asked, incredulous. "Really, Dr Cameron, I should have thought your head bang on the table would have knocked something into place, but you're still as dense as before," he went on mercilessly, while resuming his pacing across the room.

"Arthritis can present itself in all age groups, sexes…" replied Cameron coldly.

"Yeah, yeah, I went to medical school, too. This boy is 12, and until recently played volleyball on his school team, so it is highly unlikely volleyball caused his cartilage to wear away."

"When did I say osteoarthritis? I wanted to say it could be _infectious_ arthritis," retorted Cameron, looking superior.

House stopped pacing and considered.

"It makes sense," piped Chase. "It would explain the fact that the pain is localized to his right knee…"

Foreman shook his head. "But it's so simple."

"Exactly why we missed it. Sometimes, the best solution is the simplest one." Said Cameron, looking at House, who rolled his eyes.

"It's like we're diagnosing a cold after a whole day of observation," Foreman remarked, still surprised and a little ashamed for not having thought of it himself.

The door to the room suddenly opened and in walked a young girl who looked no older than 16. She walked with a breezy attitude, and looked so dreamy she might have walked in by accident.

"Greg! Hi!" she exclaimed in delight, walked straight over to House and threw her arms around his neck. She suddenly looked a lot taller than when she came in, standing next to House. She was slender, had shoulder length dark hair and extremely large grey-green eyes.

The team stared dumbfound at House and the girl. Chase caught Foreman's eye and they both grinned, wondering exactly what choice words House would use to dispose off this no-doubt psyche ward patient. Cameron simply looked on with her jaw hanging open.

To everyone's shock, House returned the embrace. They pulled apart, and House said, "Nick! How-how are you- what are you doing here?!"

"Decided to give you a surprise. And I missed you."

"I missed you, too! And it's good to see you again after so long. You've gotten so big!"

"Is this your team?" Nick said with interest, turning to the three who looked as if they'd turned to stone. Chase and Foreman's expressions now mimicked Cameron's, whose jaw had touched the floor.

"Yeah," said House, suddenly aware of his team standing right there. "That's Cameron, Chase and Foreman. And guys, this is Nicole. My-" He hesitated, unsure what to say.

" _Really_ good friend," put in Nick helpfully. "Yeah," said House, relieved.

Cameron was the first to recover. "Hi, Nicole, nice to meet you. I'm sorry if our reception was a little less than warming, but House has never mentioned you before."

"Oh, it's fine. How typical of you, Greg," she added, looking at House, who merely shrugged.

Chase and Foreman didn't even say anything; they merely nodded at Nicole.

"Do you guys need invitation? Go do a blood test. Test for Salmonella, Shigella, Chlamydia…the usual with infectious arthritis. Even Hepatitis C. Ask if he's sexually active while you're at it, it could be an STD."

That got Chase to remember he had a tongue. "House. He's 12. There's no way-"

"There might be every way, Chase. Go do the tests. Come, Nick, let's talk in my office."

The three finally left, still stunned.

-  
"There's no question- she's his daughter."

"I think so too,"

"Rubbish. She looks nothing like him. Seems a lot nicer, too." Said Foreman dismissively.

"Likeness, or lack thereof, is no firm argument. And maybe she was adopted," surmised Cameron.

"By House?" asked Foreman, "Honestly, Cameron, do you see House, of all people, adopting?"

"Not obviously, no, but it's possible-"

"What did she mean by 'really good friend'? She could be his girlfriend," said Chase suddenly.

Foreman and Cameron looked scandalized.

"That's sick, Robert. He's nearly thrice her age," Cameron looked shocked.

"And you forget he said 'you've gotten so big'," So we can rule out that sickening possibility," added Foreman.

"There's a history, there, anyway," said Chase.

-  
"House, I just met Foreman, and-" Wilson stopped talking as he pushed open the door to House's office and saw him and Nick, sitting across the table with cups of coffee. "So it's true," he added tonelessly.

"So what's true?" asked House calmly.

Wilson looked from House to Nick and saw Nick regarding him with a knowing smile on her face. He took a deep breath, about to say exactly what he was thinking, when House stopped him.

"Wilson, I'm sure there has been enough speculation so before you say anything, Nick, I would like for you to meet Dr James Wilson, my good friend and colleague. Wilson, this is Nicole Gardner."

They shook hands; Nick smiling brightly, Wilson looking nonplussed.

"Well," said Nick, rising, "I'll go get us some Chinese. See you guys later." In a loud whisper she added, "Greg. You should tell him."

The moment she left, Wilson rounded on House. "You want to spill the beans on this one, _Greg_? What is going on?"

"What's this about that teenager being your daughter?" Lisa Cuddy thundered into House's office.

House groaned. "Not you as well."

"I'm curious," said Cuddy, shrugging.

"It's none of your business."

Cuddy didn't bat an eyelid. "That may be, but a young, pretty, _really good friend_ of the cold, indifferent, narcissistic Dr House? You have to admit that has to grab quite a few eyeballs. Not to mention, if her dramatic appearance stuns your staff into ineptitude, then yes, it is most certainly my business."

"Who _is_ she?"

"I just told you. Weren't you listening? She's Nicole Gardner. She just graduated high school and is going to study medicine at Johns Hopkins this fall. We have known each other for a long time, and haven't met in years. She came in today all the way from Washington."

"Ok, House. Let me ask again. _Who_ is she?" Wilson pressed, while Cuddy looked on, obstinate.

"Jesus!" House bellowed. "Are you deaf?"

"Is she your daughter?" Cuddy asked.

"Nope."

"Are you a friend of her parents?"

"You could say that."

"What does that even mean?" asked Wilson loudly.

House sighed. "She was the neighboring kid, lived across from my parents' house. Childhood friends."

"She must be what- 30 years younger than you? How could she be a childhood friend? That's a pathetic excuse coming from you, House."

House glared at them, and his retort was lost as his team entered at that moment.

"Blood work was positive for salmonella," said Chase, handing him the report.

"Good. Start the treatment." No one moved for a minute; looking at each other.

"Do you have to be told how to do that, now? Get that kid out of here as soon as possible so he can play ball again!" yelled House, standing up.

"Where are you going?" asked Wilson tiredly.

"To go pee."

Wilson let out a long sigh. "House…"

"What, I should wait here so we can probably discuss this? Peeing is more important." He stormed out.

Cuddy shook her head in exasperation when she noticed Chase smiling in a lopsided manner.

"What are _you_ smirking at?"

"Their coffee cups!" he exclaimed, pointing towards House's desk. Cuddy brightened.

"Start the treatment. And the paternity test."

-  
"I can't wait," said Cameron, as Foreman analysed the cups, "It would be lovely if he was the father!"

Foreman rolled his eyes. " 'Lovely' isn't the word I'd use," he said drily.

"But what if it's negative?" asked Wilson, almost bored. "It would only prove what House has been saying all along, and we would be nowhere near finding out their history."

"We could at least demand an explanation if it is positive," agreed Chase, nodding.

"It won't be."

They turned towards the door to find Nicole standing in the doorway.

"Do you _always_ do that?" asked Chase.

Nicole smiled ruefully. "Greg's not my father. Though I wish he was." She put down the bags of takeout near the door and settled on a stool. She sighed and almost looked sad.

"Go on, confirm it."

A minute later Foreman put down the print out. "Negative," He said tonelessly.

Nicole shrugged. "Told you," she said quietly.

Wilson leaned forward. "What is the story, Nicole? We really want to know, and House will never tell."

Nicole considered him for a long moment.

"Dr Wilson, Greg introduced you as his 'good friend'. In all the years that I've known him, he's never spoken of anybody else in those terms. He's never even mentioned any 'friend', for that matter. You matter to him a lot, and if you consider him a good friend too, you would never go behind his back."

She went on, "If Greg hasn't told you about us, I don't think I should."

Nicole stood up. "He _will_ tell you. Give him some time." She paused. "I am leaving tomorrow morning. So just let me have a quiet dinner with him, uninterrupted. I saw him last when I was 9, and there's no telling when I might be able to meet him after this. So please, for another day, let him be."

She picked up the bags and opened the door. "Also, I've been observing things here. Sure, everyone knows he's a brilliant doctor, but he's a better man by far than what you give him credit for."

Nicole turned and left, leaving a team of stunned doctors behind.

-  
The next day no one mentioned the subject again in House's presence, much to his relief. Nicole didn't tell him about the paternity test, and her conversation with Wilson. As evening came, Wilson couldn't wait any longer and was almost about to seek House out when the door to his office opened and House stepped in.

"I was just going to see you," Wilson began.

House didn't reply; just took a seat on the far couch. A whole minute passed before Wilson spoke again.

"So, Nicole left, then?"

House finally nodded. "Saw her off at the airport."

Another pause.

"Look, Wilson, I know I should have probably told you about this sooner, but did not think it would matter very much. Now that you've met Nicole, I guess I owe you the truth. It's difficult to explain- but, in a way, Nick's my sister."

Wilson audibly gasped. He had been prepared for anything but this.

House almost smiled. "We're not related by blood," he clarified.

"Go on," Wilson managed to say.

"I found out my father was having an affair when I was working under Dr Heimer. I had always hated him anyway so this did not really bother me, but I was worried for my mom's sake. I visited her a couple months afterward and it turned out she had suspected this all along. I was intending to persuade her to leave the man with this newfound evidence- I had pestered her about this for years. She would hear nothing of it. Adamant as ever. Insisted if she had borne with him for so long she would see the marriage through till the end. We argued. I was prepared to have mother move in with me- I would take care of her if it came to that. But if there's one thing I've inherited from my mother, it's stubbornness. Nothing I said made any difference.

"You know I had stopped talking to my father or even acknowledging him as such long before. Several weeks passed. At the hospital one day, I saw this woman who had just given birth. While the baby was safe and healthy, they had had to perform a caesarean and she had bled a lot. Long story short, she wasn't expected to live. I had nothing to do with the case. But then, I overheard her sobbing on the phone. She was begging someone to take her daughter- I was shocked she had to plead with someone to take care of her child in the event of her death, and well, you know me- I listened. From whatever I heard, it was clear that the person on the other end of the line was an asshole. She was clearly unmarried, and I wondered who the father was."

House swallowed and sighed.

"It was your father?" asked Wilson in a hushed whisper.

House nodded miserably. "She addressed the person by the first name- my father's. I put two and two together. I approached her and asked her if what I thought was true, without revealing who I was. She was reluctant, but in her state, she probably didn't care. Told me everything. It turned out she had had no idea that my father was married. She was half his age, Wilson- his assistant at work! I can't- just cannot describe how ashamed I felt of him…and for some inexplicable reason, I was ashamed, too."

Holding his head in his hands, House let out a disgusted sigh, looking more tired than Wilson had seen him in a long time.

"Anyway," he went on, "my father told her he wanted nothing to do with her or the baby. That call I overheard was the first time she heard about his marriage, you know? I couldn't believe that even a person like my father could be responsible for such a dreadful betrayal. I'd never paid much thought to the woman, except that she would be just as characterless as him. But that day…Wilson, she was just an ordinary, innocent woman who'd suffered a great injustice and was desperate about her baby."

"Didn't your dad know about the pregnancy?"

"They had broken up several months before when she accidentally found out that he was married. When she found out she was pregnant, she didn't tell him, for she had wanted nothing whatever to do with him and was determined to raise the kid on her own. But then, since she was dying, it was a last-ditch attempt to get my father to provide for the baby; she had no one else to fall back on. It _was_ his kid, after all."

"The jerk that my father is, he turned her down even when she told him she was dying. I asked her about any relatives, but she had none who could help. She did have a sister, but she herself was dying of cancer. And the last thing she wanted was to have her daughter put in an orphanage."

"I confronted my father that night. It was a shouting match and it deeply upset my mother. She had accepted the affair, but she was furious that her worthless husband had used the other woman and had betrayed her even worse than his wife. I told him that he ought to provide for that kid financially, if not actually take her in, but that- _bastard_ …" House's voice trailed off.

"That was the night my mother finally told him to get out of her life and mine. That's what did it Wilson. So many years of unfair treatment shown to her by him, the affair, his behavior towards me; and the fact that he was betraying the woman he had an affair with was what finally made her divorce him. Just think about that. Somebody else's pain convinced her."

"What happened of the baby?"

"The next day, I told this woman everything. Who I was, what my father said, and just…everything. My mom and I put together some savings and I was about to tell her that we were going to put the money in a trust fund for her daughter, but when I saw her gratefully shocked face, and the sight of that hapless child…"

"So _you_ took her in," said Wilson blankly.

House nodded. "My mother offered to do it, instead, but I would not hear of it; she'd been through enough. And somehow my hatred for my father and the desperation of that woman did it. I told her what I planned on doing, and she agreed. She died three days later.

"And I decided to call her Nicole. My mother suggested the name, and it seemed to suit her. She did end up helping babysit- you know the hours we work- but after Nick turned one, I became much better at taking care of her.

"The first complication came when she started speaking, and called me 'dad'. That was way too twisted, and nothing else worked, so when she was five I told her to call me Greg and that I was her legal guardian, and that we were friends and roommates. She liked that. When she turned older and started asking more questions, I just told her the entire true story.

"And then one day this long forgotten sister- Nick's aunt- showed up. Apparently Louise Gardner had told her sister about the baby. She couldn't do anything at the time, since she was dying herself, but they were able to treat the cancer. She'd been in remission for about 5 years when she thought she could most probably live longer and care for her niece. And so I agreed to let Nick go. She would receive much better care with a woman and a relative, anyway.

"Nick kept in touch; she was happy at her aunt's, although she was very mutinous when I'd first told her to go with her. I sent a check every year, still do, and plan on doing it until she's 21. So yeah, that's about it."

There was silence for some time following this extraordinary story. Wilson didn't know what to think- all he knew was that his friend had a good many layers of personality shielding a vulnerable, soft core.

"You're unexpected," said Wilson finally.

House smirked. "Is that a compliment?"

Wilson shrugged. "I thought I had you all figured out after so many years, but you never fail to surprise me, House," Wilson was practically speechless at his friend's actions- uncommon strength and courage and character were needed to take on the care of the product of an illegitimate relationship of a father he didn't respect in the first place. Wilson had newfound respect for House.

"What should I tell Cuddy?"

House gave a devilish smile. "Let her see the results of the paternity test, and come begging for information."

Wilson gasped. "You know about the test?"

"Well, of course that must've been the first thing you did. You can't be that dense to think _I_ could be that dense!"

Wilson rolled his eyes. They were both silent for a few moments. "House, if your leg really was hurting last night, why did you give me so much trouble?"

" _So much trouble_? I am clearly not troubling you enough!"

"House, come on."

House sighed. Normally he would have easily deflected the topic, but the departure of one of the few people in his life he cared so deeply about had tired him. He cared about Wilson, too, and he deserved an answer. "Look, I just don't like it when you assume things about me. Sure, I am a cripple whose leg is what is bothering him most of the time, and sure, a vicodin overdose is more likely to be a health issue for me than the common cold...but just because it is so does not mean you jump to those conclusions, okay? I know for sure that none of you who went gallivanting around trying to get those coffee cups out from under my nose (yes, I know how it was done, it was painfully obvious) must have thought of a single factor besides age difference that made you think I could be a fatherly figure in Nicole's life. Must have been like " _House and kids? No way!_ " I don't care about others, but all I'm saying is that even though I may be easy to assume things about, whether right or wrong, I just don't want _you_ to do it. I would like it if you asked."

"I'm...sorry, House. Will keep that in mind." A pause, and then, "And _I_ would like it if you shared these secrets and histories with me."

"Will keep _that_ in mind."

"Hungry?"

"If you're paying, always."

THE END


End file.
